iOS 8 Business Support Features That Are Turning Heads

During the recent Worldwide Developers Conference hosted by Apple in San Francisco, the Fall 2014 launch of iOS 8 was announced. This mobile operating system will include several business feature updates that are designed help IT departments and leaders manage mobile devices such as iPads and iPhones with greater efficiency.

While the consumer features of iOS 8 have been touted online, very little has been said about the enterprise aspects of this new system. Here are some of the highlights that should prove to be useful to businesses around the world.

P2P AirPlay

One of the most problematic aspects of AirPlay has been its longstanding reliance on Wi-Fi. iOS8 turns the tables, and allows business users to connect to Apple TVs without jumping onto a shared network connection.

This is huge news for several different reasons. Now you don’t have to worry about using Wi-Fi if you’re trying to set up a wireless presentation in an unfamiliar venue’s conference room, which can be particularly tricky when you’re in a hotel.

Also, IT professionals can breathe a sigh of relief, since this is one less network connection they’ll have to worry about.

Data security

While previous iOS versions have featured app sandboxing, which restricts the amount of access apps have to other apps’ data, iOS 8 has beefed up the comprehensive data protection with further encryption.

This extends to native apps, such as Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, and Notes, according to Apple’s official iOS 8 Enterprise web page.

Mail security

One of the biggest advantages for companies will be the increased Mail app security, which bolsters the encryption of emails for S/MIME users. This could significantly reduce IT headaches and potential data leaks, by preventing unauthorized users from accessing company emails.

To prevent you from sending accidental emails from your personal accounts, you can opt to have addresses highlighted in red, if you’re about to send a correspondence from an exterior email server.

Third-party app management

The data protection has been extended to include third-party apps, as well, so your company data won’t be inadvertently leaked through apps that haven’t been sanctioned by your organization. Using Mobile Device Management software, IT professionals can designate sharing privileges between apps.

The preview of these iOS 8 features for business looks extremely promising for enterprise environments. These updates provide organizations with secure tools to oversee their daily operations, such as monitoring digital marketing campaigns, managing payroll, and creating staff schedules.

The updates indicate that mobile business workflows will probably become significantly more efficient.

Anna is a freelance writer and researcher from the Olympia, WA area who loves to obsess about weird topics and then write about them. When she isn't writing, she is outside on her bike and comtemplating her eventual trip to graduate school.